Shoe-size-testing device



Feb. 10, 1931'. E. J. BLISS 1,791,943

- SHOE SIZE TESTING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1929 Inventor" r b %./r%il amcgafforney Patented Feb. 10; 1 31 NIT "STATES." PATIENT. OFFICE" AELMER, J. BLISS, or BosToN,MAssAe UsnTTs; Assrenon 'ro REGAL sno'E COMPANY,

or WHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS snonsrzn-rns'rr ve nnvrcn Application near/ray is, 1929. Seria1No.363,515.

This invention'relates tothe artiof shoemaking and is intended to provide a size testing device for shoes by which the fitness of a completed shoe to a foot-of standard selected 7 size dimensions may be determined in order to ascertain the correctness of the size indiciamarked, or to be marked on such shoe.

Last makers are not only frequently changing the style and thesize measurement 10 of shoe lasts,but also arbitrarily changing the size markings or indicia which are to be used on the shoes madeonthe respective lasts. As a consequence of-these variatlons 1n practies, the size marks stamped on shoes afford either confusing or unreliable data as to the actual size ofthe human foot will fit.

I-Ieretofore in this art there has been no means of accurately or correctly determin ing, or ascertaining, what particular foot having standardized measurements Will be fitted by any given pair of shoes since in no case does the last,- upon which a particular shoe is made, conform exactly to a humanv the toes of the foot of the wearer mayv not strike against the tip or toe end of the shoe. In other words, every shoe'must belonger than the foot that is'intended to wear it.

It is possible by measuring a large number of feet to reach an average ofstandardization 40 in the ratios of ball width or ball girth to' different overall lengthsof the foot to arrive at practical standards of measurement sufficiently reliable tocomfortably fit all feet that are not markedly abnormal inrespect to dimensions andcontourpf I it The present invention provides a'means for determining ;or ascertaining just what standardized foot sizes should be assigned to any particular shoes that are being-tested or examined. The invention, in generalycomwhich they of predetermined thickness which acts according to its width to give additional increments of width and girth measurement. The medial spacing member, whose contour lines either follow or lie within the contour lines of the inside faces of the side members,

may be adjusted for'wardlyto determine the length size extension provided in the shoe.

thatis being fitted. For convenience a length size scale is associated with this medial plate to serve asan indicator or index of the'actual length size extension in the toe portion of the shoe being tested. These and other features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and convenient embodi ment of the which Fig. 1 isa plan view of a testing device showing the spacing member advanced to the forward end of the shoe to ascertain the degree of extension that is provided for the foot that the shoe will fit.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device showing the spacing member in normal spacing position while indicating in dotted lines the advanced position for measuring the extension provided in the shoe'being tested.

Fig. 3 is a modifiedv form of spacing member in which the forepa'rt and the rear part are hingedly connected together to allow relative'changesof position when used in testing shoes having low heels and shoes having Very high heels.

In the practice of the invention, as illustrated-in the drawings,.a sectional last comprisingan inside. member 1 and an outside member 2, whose flat opposed faces are adapted to match together to form a complete last having the dimensions of an assumed standard size of foot, which of course will be smaller in some respectsthan the last over principles of the invention, in a which the shoe intended for that foot was made.

The inside lateral member 1 comprises a rear or body portion 1 extended from heel to ball and a forepart 1 hingedly connected by a pivotal pin or bolt 0 to allow the angular relation of the rear and forepart to be changed in order to properly fit the last into a high heel or a low heel shoe by allowing it to assume the posture of the human foot when inserted in either type of shoe.

In a similar manner the outside lateral member 2 comprises a rear portion 2 and a forepart 2 hinged together by the pivot pin or bolt (Z.

It will be observed that the pivotal axis 0 on the inside member is some distance forward or in advance of the position of the pivotal axis (Z, the reason for this longitudinal oifsetting of the axis of the two members being that the outside ball point of the human foot is some distance to the rear of the ball point on the inside of the human foot.

The two lateral members are adapted to be placed face to face to provide a form that shall have the narrowest width or ball girth measurement of a foot of given length, while means are provided for increasing the girth and width measurement in correspondence with the standard increase in width and girth measurements for greater width of foot of the same length. The means by which the last may be varied in width and girth to realize any predetermined width comprises, in this case, a spacing member or fiat plate 3, whose contour lines, as indicated in Fig. 2 in part by dotted lines, either follow or lie somewhat within the contour lines of the adjacent faces of the lateral members for a reason presently to be described.

If a series of plates of different thickness, corresponding to the increase in standardized width sizes in the shoemaking art, is provided, it is possible by substituting different thicknesses of spacing or filling members to use the same lateral members for all width measurements of feet of any particular length.

f the usual width size practice is followed these medial plates will vary in thickness from one another by one-twelfth of an inch in a consecutive series.

If the shoe being tested properly fits the last without the medial plate then the tester will know the width size of that shoe and, if the last, thus inserted, is permitted no longitudinal play in the shoe he will know from the standardized marking on his testing last the size of foot which that particular shoe is fitted to take. Should there be longitudinal or lateral play, or looseness, he may then insert the next larger size of testing'last and may also insert different widths of spacing members until the shoe is properly fitted by the inserted device.

It is important, however, to determine the degree of extension of length contained in the shoe beyond the length of the normal size foot. For this reason the spacing plate 3 is cut away over the instep and toe so as to lie somewhat within the upwardly sloping contour line of the side members, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that the spacing member may be forwardly adjusted, as indicated in Fig. 1, until the tip end of the plate abuts against the toe end of the shoe upper. To facilitate this forward adjustment of the spacing plate its rear end is provided with an upwardly extending ear or lug 3 which can be readily seized by the fingers to advance and retract the plate. v

In order to definitely indicate the amount of extension in shoe length sizes, I provide an indicating scale on the flat upperportion of one of the lateral members, the zero point of said scale being adapted to register with a cross mark l on the upper face of the spacing plate when the spacing plate lies in flush relationship with the toe portion of the lateral members. In Fig. 1, the spacing member is shown in position to indicate 1 length sizes.

As the posture of the'human foot varies considerably when placed in a high heel shoe in contrast with its posture when in a low heel shoe, it would be necessary to have a separate series of plates for use with the hinged lateral members of the last when testing the two types of shoes where the spacing members are made as single or integral plates.

By providing a pivotal or hinge joint between the forepart and the rear part of the spacing member, the same spacing member may be used when testing both styles of shoes.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a spacing plate embodying this adjustable principle embracing the rear part 5 with the manipulating lug 7 and a forepart 6, which has a circular extension 6 adapted to pivotally interlock with a circular recess in the forward end of the rear part 5 to afford a flat hinge joint for pivot ally connecting the two members together without increasing the width or thickness of the plate at the hinge joint.

It will be understood that the term last as applied to this device is used to indicate any construction of foot form that can be fitted into a shoe to determine the length and width measurements thereof and is not limited to a shoe-makers last on which the shoe is built in the course of its manufacture.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A shoe size-testing device embracing a sectional last having the dimensions and contour of a human foot of standardized size measurements, and divided along its medial longitudinal axis into complementary lateral members, and a fiat medial spacing plate of a thickness to add a predetermined increment of width and girth measurement to'th'e last when correctly positioned between the lateral members, said medial plate being insertable between said lateral members when they are properly positioned inside the shoe, thereby adapting a last of given length size to fit into a shoe being tested.

2. A shoe size-testing device embracing a sectional last having the dimensions and contour of a human foot of standardized size measurements, a sectional last divided along its medial longitudinal axis into inside and outslde members corresponding to the contour of the opposite sides of a selected foot, a medial spacing member of predetermined thickness whose contour lines follow and fall within the lines of the adjacent planes of the side member to permit forward adjustment V of the spacing member when the members are assembled within the shoe and thereby indi-.

cate the length extension of the toe of the shoe beyond the remainder of the last.

3. A device for size-testing shoes embracing a sectional last having the standard size measurements and contour of a selected human foot divided on its longitudinal axis into separate lateral members, and a spacing member of known thickness interposed between said lateral members and longitudinally adjustable in relation thereto when the three members are fitted into a shoe being tested, the spacing member and one lateral member being provided with length size indications to measurement in length'sizes the extent of forward adjustment permitted the spacing member.

4. A device for size-testing shoes embracing asectional last having the standard size measurements and contour of a selected human foot divided on its longitudinal axis into separate lateral members, and a flat spacing member of known thickness adapted for insertion between the lateral members to give the sectional last a predetermined and known foot size width measurement, each lateral member comprising a rear part and a fore part pivotally connected to allow flexing them to correspond with difierent positions of a foot when inserted in shoes having different heights of heel.

5. A sectional last corresponding in contour and size measurements to the standardize-d dimensions of a selected foot comprising three longitudinal sections, the medial section comprising a thin flat spacing member of known thickness, each of said members comprising a rear part and fore part hinged together on different transverse axes.

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

ELMER- J. BLISS. 

